Two steps foward and one step back – Afg

So if you recall during some of my deployments, I dint share much of “what” exactly was happening, due to Op Sec and that yes, bad guys check out OMV.

There are times during my last deployment and even now the same frustration can be felt where you make so much effort to make the littlest things work with the people of Afghanistan. You bend over backwards, you give, give and give some more and they still hold their hand out expecting you do even more. The bad part is when you even go a step further, they double cross you. Nothing like going two steps forward and one step back.

This can be seen when many of our young officers and senior enlisted are meeting day in and day out with Afg “local leaders” and crawling along to help things be better. Only to have some of their own “security” shoot at Marines. They (Afg Leaders) know that those guys don’t belong, but don’t say anything until it’s too late.

It can be very freaking frustrating when this BS happens however, all of that frustration goes away when you work your ass off to make a difference for some Afg locals and then you actually see the outcomes. There are those instances when locals intimidate local villages, leave death letters then find US Marines waiting for them. Then the very next day you see the village begin to thrive and prosper because they aren’t under the enemies threat. We are making a difference. We are “giving a shit” and we pay in blood.

Although over the past we have given up more responsibility to the Afg Army, but hear me folks, when we leave Afg we should leave 100%. I can do all of the Chia tea drinking with nasty water that they use to clean their feet it (but its boiled……great), greasy nasty goat eating with the head still attached, sandstorms, even jack wagons shooting at me and trying to blow us up with IEDs but I don’t do things half assed so again when we are done, we need to be diggidity done!

I hope the 92 out of 535 Vets in Congress agree with this and can make a difference for their brothers & sisters taking the fight to the enemy. However people, you can make a difference as a citizen and even one person can make a difference and you have to at least try, even if its two steps forward and one step back. Your warriors are.

I have been reading posts about Afg for years, and not having been there, it is still as confusing a place as when I started. But, I love your two steps forward examples. Gives me so much hope. You have always done that, all these years. I am getting a little sappy, maybe it is my mood tonight, but I hope you know how much your writing has meant all these years. You are fearless, hopeful, always speak the truth, and always with a grin and Cgar! Thank you Major! God bless you. Donna

Major: Many comparisons of the war in Afganistan to Vietnam are being made by the MSM, usually without any actual knowledge of either conflict. I served in 1/1 under Col. PX Kelly in Vietnam in ’70-’71, when we were beginning to effect ‘Vietnamization’. Many times were we in contact and pursuit, only to be told to break contact or hold position while we saw the enemy withdrawing to a favorite ARVN Generals village. The similarities that do exist: 1) Politicians are determining not only the direction, but the military strategy of the war, 2) the ‘enemy’ blends in and is part of the indigenous population, and 3) the majority of the wounded and killed are as a result of IED’s not enemy contact. Substitute booby traps/box mines for IED’s and you have the parallel. The Marine Corps never deviated from the philosophy that mission failure was not an option, but the frustration of being held back by the politicians with both strategy dictated by polls and ridiculous ROE’s that are based on political correctness rather than military necessity, begins to wear on the troops. I support the mission fully, and applaud the success’s that you and your men have accomplished under at best difficult circumstances. If we are to be hobbled, when we break off and commit to withdrawal, then it should be complete, not a ‘residual’ force. It is not worth a single drop of blood of our warrior men and women spilled for a non-winnable situation. I know that you can not comment on the politics, but that said, I will always have your ‘six’ and God Bless you and your warriors.

Amen, SeaDog. I’ve never been in combat so I don’t know from personal experience. However, all of my closest Marine Bretheren have been in combat and this is exactly the sentiment I get. War is no place for a politician. Once they agree to go to war, it is like getting good sight alignment, good sight picture, steady breathing, slow steady squease until the shot breaks, then you let the bullet do what it is designed to do. Once that shot breaks, you can’t take the bullet back. Like wise, you turn Marines loose on an objective, for f*ck’s sake, let us do what we were designed to do. Likwise, Major Pain, I agree with you that the politicians and our own citizens have a much greater responsibility. First, the politicians have a responsibility, not only to we citizens but also, and more importantly on the subject of war, to we troops, to make VERY certain their decisions are sound. Because it isn’t their asses that are going to chash the check their mouths wrote, its ours. Second, all of us as citizens have a responsibility when we vote. If you truely care about the troops, then f*cking pay attention to the politicians! Don’t vote Democrat because you’re a Democrat. Don’t vote Republican because you’re a Republican. Vote for the best man for the job. And I’m not even talking about president right now, I’m talking about Congress. The Senate and The House of Representatives, because those assholes are the ones who select the canditates for presidency, and in my not-so-humble opinion, they’ve been doing a pretty shit job of selecting viable candidates. The Dems and Reps don’t care about the country, they care about their party. Its up to US, WE AMERICAN CITIZENS, to care about America. And we have to put the right pressure on our politicians to follow suit. I want my Brothers to come home just as much as anyone, but I don’t want my Fallen Bretheren to have died in vain. That mission in Afghanistan and Iraq MUST be completed TO THE FULL. Like SeaDog and the Major are saying, we have to let our Marines and Soldiers and Sailors do their job. They’d probably be home already if the damn politicians would have just let them do their job from the beginning.

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